


Monster

by Introvertia



Series: 13 Days of Halloween [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 13 Days of Halloween Writing Challenge, Dubcon Kissing, Homophobic Language, M/M, One Word Prompts, billy lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:07:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27102436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Introvertia/pseuds/Introvertia
Summary: Billy often feels like a monster, but running into Steve in October of 1986 makes him feel like that might not be such a bad thing.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: 13 Days of Halloween [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1995811
Comments: 14
Kudos: 94





	Monster

**Author's Note:**

> This short piece was inspired by the amazing Gothyringwald's 13 Days of Halloween Prompt List. 
> 
> Prompt word 1: Monster
> 
> This is the first of several short Harringrove fics I will be posting daily between now and Halloween. I hope to do all 13! While they can be read on their own they will be somewhat episodic.

October 1st, 1986

**Part 1**

**Insomnia**

Billy, slouched deep in the sagging brown couch of his rented studio. He squinted at the flickering TV screen, eyes dry. It occurred to him that at some point he must have dozed off because the movie wasn’t making a lick of sense. He glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned at the time, it was half past three in the morning. The clock’s darting eyes and swinging tail made him snort; it was a black and white cat clock.

Max had gifted the kitschy piece of trash to him as a house warming present. She’d bought it at a yard sale. Lucas had been with her when she came over to give it to Billy.Lucas had joked that it was probably haunted, which led to Max and Lucas having a long discussion on the topic of _if_ inanimate objects could or could not be haunted by demonic spirits, or merely cursed, and then looped around to the argument that if demons were real (which they weren’t in Max’s opinion) then so were angels, (Lucas said he’d believe they were both real until proven unreal) Billy’s eyes had glazed over during their extended and pointless deeply heated debate.

Billy noticed how Max was often surrounded by her posse of geeky friends, Lucas her boyfriend, glum faced Wheeler and the biggest dork of the _nerd herd_ Dustin, who for whatever reason had become pals with Steve Harrington. That one really stumped Billy. Why did Steve want to hang around Dustin? Billy had seen them with his own eyes on more than one occasion around town. Once he’d seen Steve driving past and had almost had the courage to lift his palm in greeting, but quickly changed his mind when he’d spotted Dustin sitting beside him. Another time Billy had been coming out of the grocery store and saw Dustin and Steve walking out of Melvald’s. They’d been laughing about something.

Billy turned off his TV, wishing he wasn’t thinking so much, but his thoughts just kept pin balling from face to face, and then back to Steve. If Steve wasn’t hanging around Dustin it was Robin. Leggy, full lipped, bright eyed Robin. Billy didn’t think she was necessarily Steve’s type, but then again a girl like Robin could be anyones type, she was pretty, and aside from being a band geek, she seemed kind of tough and was obviously very smart.

Everyone was living their lives, making choices and changes… but he wasn’t doing either, he was just existing, that’s what it felt like. He’d been shed by the Mind-Flayer after it had pierced him and discarded him, and when he’d woken up, alive and no longer under its spell his whole life had been ruined. No car, body battered and scarred. His mind unreliable. He looked and felt like a reanimated corpse, a monster.

Billy shifted restlessly on the couch trying to get comfortable, trying to still his endless thoughts. He could not get comfortable, he could find no peace. Billy wondered if Max would marry Lucas, or if they’d break up as soon as they both went off to college. Susan had a college fund set aside for Max, he’d overheard her arguing with Neil about it. It was the only time he’d heard her stand up to him. Neil had told Billy if he wanted to go to college he better enlist in the military, making it very clear that Neil had no intention of spending a dime on Billy’s education. That was before the _incident_.

Billy got off the couch and filled a glass withtap water and swallowed the contents down. He told himself to go to sleep. He wished he had some weed, or beer… just something to quiet his mind… but still more thoughts came. Billy was certain that Lucas was the only one of the group that had the slightest chance of ever being cool. He was brave and smart. Billy looked down at his hands feeling a mix of regret and shame at how he’d treated him, but that was then, before everything had changed. Billy still owed him an apology, he’d have to do that, but every time he tried to say he was sorry, he’d just felt the words get stuck in his throat and the shame burning in his eyes. How had he ever bought into Neil’s bullshit?

“Idiot.” Billy murmured and then grabbed the remote and turned on the TV and then Immediately off again.

There was no point in finishing the movie, his inability to concentrate had ruined it, it ruined everything. Billy got off the couch and pulled out the mattress that was concealed within it. He’d been renting a room above a garage since April, and while it was drafty and musty, it was better than living under Neil’s roof.

Lying under his thin blankets in the near dark room, he thought about all the times he’d seen Steve walking around down town near the bakery Billy worked at. He wondered if Steve ever went in, not that it would matter because Billy always worked in the back, he didn’t do cashiering, and rarely stocked the cases; which he was thankful for, the less people he had to deal with the better.

At Four-thirty-five in the morning, Billy’s alarm clock went off. Billy sat up like a zombie, and stepped into his boots and shuffled into his closet sized bathroom, brushed his teeth and splashed cold water on his face. He grabbed a can of coke out of his dingy little refrigerator and was out the door. By the time it was five o’clock he was tying an apron around his waist.

**Part 2**

**The Bountiful Bakery**

Steve walked into The Bountiful Bakery with a bit of a spring in his step. Just opening the doors and getting hit with the scent of fresh baked bread, was a treat. The bright white tiled walls and neat rows of bread rolls and and trays of cookies made him smile. Whenever his grandfather had visited from Marion he’d taken Steve there, pecan bars had been his grandfather’s favorite. Steve had always gotten the sugar cookies, which his grandfather would provide generously.

There was no one behind the counter, so Steve rang the big brass service bell on the top of the case next to their outdated register, and then perused the pastries. He wanted a spice apple muffin, but the chocolate croissants looked good too and maybe he’d take a cinnamon loaf home, he could tell by the sweet scented air that a batch had just been finished.

Steve heard the sound of the bakery doors to the back room swing open and started speaking before looking up.

“May I have an apple muffin, a chocolate croissant and a cinnamon raisin loaf?” Steve looked up with a smile expecting to see Marvin the owner and his smile immediately faltered, he hadn’t expected to see Billy Hargrove standing behind the counter staring at him. He had a baseball cap on and a long sleeved white thermal shirt with a t-shirt on over that, topped off with a white apron, embroidered in pink script with the words- _Bountiful Baker_.

“You work here?” Steve blurted.

“Nah, I’m just hanging out.” Billy said as he snapped open a bag and set it on the counter.

“I’ve never seen you here, I’m here like, all the time.” Steve said. He stared as Billy bagged the pastries.

“I work in the back.” Billy said.

“I love this place.” Steve said, and then looked down at his hands, he hadn’t talked to Billy in almost a year, he’d never checked on him when he’d heard he’d survived. Max had said not to come by the house, that Neil was acting crazy. So he hadn’t.

“Why?” Billy asked.

“Uh, I’ve been coming here a long time, some happy memories… Can I get a cup of coffee too, to go?”

“Sure.” Billy said.

Billy grabbed a to-go cup and started filling it with coffee. His heart was racing, his cheeks were burning. He cursed his boss for being on the phone arguing with one of the vendors when he should be out here taking Steve’s order. Steve was alone, this was the first time Billy’d seen Steve this close since the summer of ‘85, he looked good.

“There’s some cinnamon loaves on the racks in the back, if you want something really fresh.” Billy felt like a kiss ass, after he’d let the words tumble out of his mouth.

“That would be great. Thanks.” Steve smiled and nodded.

“No problem.” Billy put Steve’s to go cup on the counter and then went to the back to grab a loaf.

Steve put cream and sugar in his coffee and stood by the register holding his wallet. Billy looked the same, maybe a little rough around the edges, the scar on his cheek made him look more alluring some how, he was definitely paler, but he still had startling blue eyes, and a voice that made Steve feel things that he couldn’t name.

Billy reappeared from the back room and placed the wrapped loaf in the bag and punched the numbers in the register. “Want anything else?”

“No, thanks.” Steve handed Billy a wadded up ten dollar bill, “How’s Max?”

“Fine. I guess. Haven’t seen her in a week.” Billy said counting out Steve’s change.

“Oh, okay.” Steve nodded, wondering if Billy had moved out. “Do you like working here?”

Billy frowned a little as he handed over Steve’s change, “Most days.”

“I never see you around.”

“Are you looking for me Harrington?” Billy asked.

“No, I just notice. It’s a small town?” Steve shrugged and picked up his bag of pastries and bread. “How’ve you been?”

Billy blinked looking at Steve, genuinely caught off guard by the question. It wasn’t the usual polite rhetoric and daily bullshit, not the way Steve asked and not the way he was looking at him, his expression was so guileless and easy to read that Billy knew Steve sincerely wanted to know.

“OK.” Billy said.

“Good, I’m glad… that was, it was…” Steve drew a breath trying to figure out how to sum up the summer of nineteen-eight-five.

“I gotta check the ovens.” Billy interrupted.

“Yeah, see you next time.” Steve said taking a few steps back from the counter.

“Maybe.” Billy said as he disappeared behind swinging doors.

**Part 3**

**Through the Woods**

Billy took off his apron and shook it out. He’d had five nights in a row of insomnia and was feeling like his head was as hallow as a jack-o-lantern’s and his limbs were made of iron. He had no idea how he’d made it through his shift without crawling into the oven and taking a nap. Billy popped opened his locker and was about to pull on his jacket when Marvin, the owner called his name, “Billy, your friend’s out front.”

Billy blinked, “OK,” he replied, thinking, _I don’t have any friends_. Billy pulled his jacket on over his hoodie and lowered his ball cap before walking out front. He stopped short in his tracks when he saw Steve waiting for him.

“Hey.” Steve said, “You’re off work?”

“Yeah?” Billy answered, he glanced around the shop, there were no other customers and Marvin had gone to the back. “What’s up?”

“I uh, quit.” Steve said.

“You quit your job?” Billy asked wondering why Steve was telling him.

“Actually I got laid off.Things are slow at Family Video, and the owner, he’s really living up to the name of the business, he uh, gave his son my hours.”

“That’s bullshit.” Billy said.

Steve, exhaled and nodded, “It’s fine, I’ve hated it there ever since Robin left.”

“Your girlfriend.” Billy said coming around from behind the counter.

“What? Oh no, no, she’s not my girlfriend, we never, no. We’re just eh, we’re not a good fit, not like that.” Steve blushed as he spoke.

Billy squinted his eyes and then said, “Blondie shot you down.”

“Something like that.” Steve glanced out the window of the bakery and then looked back at Billy.

“Nepotism is bullshit.” Billy said. He frowned wondering why the hell Steve was really there.

_No one’s out to get you._

The thought came unbidden to his mind. Billy could hear the sound of his shrink’s voice, he hadn’t seen the guy in six months but he’d still recall the pseudo platitudes that he’d recited to Billy like mantras. Steve was just there to see him, it wasn’t some plot, it wasn’t a trick.

N _o one’s out to get you._

“Uh, well you look like you’re on your way out.” Steve said filling the silence that had briefly fallen between them.

“Just gonna walk home.” Billy said.

“Where are you staying? Max mentioned you moved out.” Steve shifted on his feet looking like he might bolt out the door.

“On Pine Street, just off of Winnebago.” Billy said, very aware that he lived in the shittiest part of Hawkins.

“Can I walk with you?” Steve asked.

“I guess. Not really on the way to your neck of the woods.” Billy knew exactly where Steve lived, he’d driven past it with Tommy one night when they were on their way to a party at Nicole’s house. Tommy had pointed out Steve’s house and suggested they soap Steve’s pool. Tommy had been full of bad ideas.

“I don’t feel like going home.” Steve confessed. He took a half step back, regretting asking if Billy to let him tag along. He was rocking on his feet a little a nervous habit that occasionally resurfaced, usually when he was asking a girl out.

Billy walked to the front door, and swung it open hitting the large golden bell above the door making it jangle loudly. “Let’s go.”

Billy stepped out into the crisp autumn air and started walking with a determined pace, he watched as the cracked sidewalk rolled under his feet. He’d gotten in the habit of walking with his head down since coming back to town. Most people ignored him or didn’t know who he was, or maybe didn’t care. The problem was the people that did remember him, or wanted to talk to him. People were amazed that he’d survived Star Court’s collapse. Some people thought he was a part of a secret cult.

“You OK?” Steve asked.

“Yeah, just… people.” Billy muttered.

Steve looked up and down the street, the trees were heavy with golden leaves. Flyers for the _Annual Fall Festival_ were taped up in the shop windows and wrapped around light posts. There were people going about their business but the streets were far from crowded. Steve wondered why Billy cared about people being around, just as the thought crossed his mind he saw a couple women looking at Billy. It was obvious that they were whispering about him. The woman with dyed red hair was shaking her head, while her companion, a tall brunette that reminded Steve of a scarecrow, was staring at Billy like he was a serial killer.

Steve bristled, he hooked his arm in Billy’s and pulled him from the main strip and up an alley. “Come on, I know a short cut.”

Billy looked down at Steve’s arm linked in his and then up at his face.

Steve slid his arm free, “It’s real easy, just gotta cut through the timber yard behind the hardware store, the parking lot and then it’s the woods, all the way to Winnebago.”

Billy gave a short nod and followed Steve’s lead. Once they entered the edge of the woods Billy immediately felt better, he felt invisible from prying eyes which gave him a sense of freedom, and he also felt very seen by Steve, which he found strangely pleasing. Billy wished he had cigarettes so he could offer one to Steve and have something to do with his hands. The sound of the leaves and dry grass crunching beneath their feet filled the space between them. Some crows called loudly overhead.

They’d only been walking through the woods for eight minutes when Steve said, “Hang on, my shoe lace.” Steve knelt down on one knee. He set down his white bag from the bakery, it had a small hole in one corner.

“You got a hole in your bag.” Billy said.

Steve picked up the bag and looked at the growing tear. “It’s the milk cartons.” Steve said looking at the tear that was damp around the edges.

“Milk?” Billy snorted.

“Yeah, milk. Don’t you like milk and cookies?”

Billy almost said ‘I’m not a kid’, instead he asked, “What kind of cookies?”

“The best kind, sugar cookies.” Steve walked over to a fallen log and kicked it once making certain it was wasn’t crawling with ants or crumbling with rot before sitting on it.

“Sugar cookies are not the best.” Billy said walking over and straddling the log facing Steve.

“Have you even tried the sugar cookies from your work?” Steve asked opening the bag.

“No.” Billy said his eyes on Steve’s face.

“Well no wonder you don’t think they’re the best. Do you want a ghost, a pumpkin, or a cat?”

“Whatever.” Billy said.

“I have a headstone too,” Steve opened the bag and pulled out two small carton’s of milk he handed one to Billy.

“Here just stick your hand in.” Steve held the bag up keeping it tilted so Billy couldn’t see what he was grabbing.

Billy rolled his eyes to hide his genuine amusement and stuck his hand in the bag, he pulled out a bright orange cookie decorated with a smiling jack-o-lantern’s face in black and yellow piped icing. He’d seen Mrs Donahue decorate rows and rows of them earlier that morning. He took a bite and tasted sweet marzipan, and chewed the crunching almond flakes in the crispy buttery baked cookie, the icing had a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. He chewed slowly and looked up to see that Steve was watching him with great interest.

“Did you poison these?” Billy asked before taking another bite.

Steve pulled out a witches hat and bit off the peak and chewed, “I’m eating the cookies too, and you chose blindly, so unless I have an antidote we’re both poisoned now.”

Billy shookhis head as he chewed.

“So what do you think, are these the best cookies or what?” Steve smiled.

“They’re better than I thought they’d be. Why’d you come by the shop today?” Billy reached up and tugged at the brim of his ball cap looking at the ground.

“I lost my job and wanted some cookies.” Steve said opening his milk carton.

“Yeah, and then you asked for me.” Billy cleared his throat, “Are you gonna start asking me about the monster?”

“What? No, Jesus no.” Steve looked up at Billy, “I mean if you want to talk about it,”

“No.” Billy said.

“I, uh… I hoped maybe, that we could be… like, we don’thave to talk about that stuff, the Mind-Flayer, and the Upside-Down, but, we both lived through it, I mean,”

“You’re not making sense Harrington.” Billy took another bite of his cookie. He opened his carton of milk and realized that Steve had bought it for _him_ , planning on this moment, or at least hoping it would happen.

“I don’t know.” Steve furrowed his brow, and wondered why was it so hard to say simple things, “I’d feel crazy if I had to always pretend what happened, didn’t happen. If I had to act like, everything’s normal. That’s what we tried to do when Barb died, and that, that was a bad idea.”

“You’ve got those dweeb kids and princess Wheeler, and Robin, they know.” Billy sat back looking at Steve feeling uneasy, “You don’t have to pretend to be normal, you were never controlled by that thing. You’re a fucking hero.”

“What? No I’m not, you are.” Steve sat up.

“Max told me about the Russians.” Billy said.

“Well, we all know about you holding off the Mind Flayer.” Steve pointed at him with a cat cookie and then bit off its head as if making a point.

“You don’t have to be my friend just because we both know monsters are real.” Billy said.

“Well, maybe if you hadn’t been such a dick when you came into town we’d already be friends.” Steve said.

Billy frowned, but it almost softened into a smile, he wasn’t really mad. “When I got here all anyone did was talk about you. How you’re so rad, and that all the chicks wanted to bone you, and then it was like, you didn’t give a shit about me. Like I wasn’t fucking cool enough for you.”

“Sorry.” Steve said,”You were kind of an asshole, and then you got tight with Tommy. We’d had a falling out ages before you got here… and then he was always around you. Honestly I thought you hated me even before we got in that fight at the Byers’ place.”

“Gimmie a tombstone.” Billy said pulling at the corner of the paper bag, not wanting to think about the night at the Byers’ house.

Steve handed him the cookie.

They chewed in silence for a stretch of time. Billy watched as a leaf drifted down and landed on the toe of Steve’s sneaker.

“Must’ve been hard, coming here from California. Changing schools, but you know what’s funny? I was so jealous of you. You got to go to a whole new place where nobody knew you. It’s like people just make their minds up about who you are and what you can be by the time you’re twelve and if you break whatever little rules they’ve decided apply to you then you’re the asshole.” Steve said shaking his head.

“You were jealous of me?”

“Don’t let it go to your head Hargrove.” Steve chuckled, “After Nancy dumped me it was like, wow, anywhere but here man, the one girl I really thought I loved just, “ Steve shrugged, “she didn’t feel the same. I would have killed to be transferred to another high school. I even asked my parents if they could enroll me over in Wabash.”

“You really loved her?” Billy asked.

“Yeah. Of course.” Steve said.

“Are you still in love with her?” Billy kicked the toe of Steve’s sneaker.

“Pfft. No, that’s over.” Steve pulled out a ghost cookie and took a bite.

**Part 4**

**No More Monsters**

Billy invited Steve up to his studio apartment, which was really just a ramshackle little loft above a two car garage. When Steve came in he walked a loop around the main room, poked his head in the bathroom and the closet and then sat on Billy’s couch, he smiled over at Billy and nodded, “This is so cool. Man, I wish I’d thought about saving more money so I could live in a place like this.”

“You’re out of your mind? It’s a dump.” Billy said.

“Dude, this place is perfect. It’s private, it’s just big enough. You’ve got a view of the woods. Did it come furnished?”

“Uh, yeah.” Billy looked at his shabby couch and scuffed up coffee table.

“Perfect.” Steve stretched out his legs and sighed.

“There’s no pool.”

Steve paused, “Well, it’s almost perfect.”

Billy looked around his place and decided that it really was _almost perfect_.

“So what’re your plans for tonight?” Steve asked looking at home on Billy’s couch.

“Watch a movie, eat mac and cheese.”

“You got a phone?” Steve looked around the room.

“Yeah.” Billy answered suspiciously, wondering if Steve was going to invite some of the nerds over to his place, or worse, Nancy.

“Cool, I’ll order a pizza, dinner’s on me.” Steve said.

Forty-five minutes later they were eating pizza and watching Repo Man on Billy’s second hand TV.

Billy watched the screen and occasionally flicked his eyes over to where Steve was sitting. Steve’s eyes were big, he was focused on the film, a smile quirked up a corner of his mouth at a quippy line. They laughed together at few scenes. After Repo Man, Steve asked Billy if he had any other videos.

“Mad Max, Fletch, Friday the 13th, Lady Hawke, that’s Max’s.”

“I like Lady Hawke.” Steve said.

“Why am I not surprised. C’mon Harrington, the armor looks like chrome plated plastic, and the soundtrack is bullshit.” Billy scoffed.

Steve laughed, “It’s got Ferris Bueller _and_ the Replicant from Blade Runner.”

“How long did you work at Family Video? Shouldn’t you know all the actors names?” Billy arched an eyebrow.

“Nobody remembers that stuff.” Steve shrugged.

“I’m putting on Mad Max.” Billy said decisively.

Half way through the movie Steve was eyeing the last cold slice of pizza when he felt Billy lean on him. Steve tilted his head looking down at Billy whose cheek was pressed against his shoulder, only to discover Billy was asleep. Steve kept waiting for Billy to wake up, but he slept soundly throughout the whole movie and the credits. Steve glanced out the window and saw that the sky was dark, he checked his watch, it was still pretty early just a little past eight in the evening. Steve considered slipping out and heading home.

Billy awoke at a four-thirty-five in the morning, his alarm clock was buzzing mercilessly. He reached over and turned it off, nearly knocking it off the end-table in the process. He was surprised he’d slept, and more so to find that Steve was still there. At some point Steve must have turned off the TV. The room was illuminated by the single bulb lamp that hung over the kitchen sink. Billy’s heart speeded up feeling briefly panicked, afraid he was going to get caught with a boy in his arms by his father and then remembered he lived in his own place now, and no one was going to scream in his face, and call him a queer, or a faggot. Billy ran his hand over Steve’s head, slowly, not wanting to wake him up.Steve’s body was heavy with sleep, he was draped over Billy, loose limbed and warm.

“Harrington,” Billy whispered, he turned his head, his nose brushing Steve’s.

“Wake up.” Billy said a little louder.

Steve’s eyes darted under their lids.

Billy gently shook Steve’s shoulder, but it garnered no response. Billy exhaled slowly, and then shivered. He wasn’t cold, not in the least, it just felt really good to be cuddled so close to someone, especially when that someone was Steve Harrington. They boy he’d made his rival, because he had a crush on him. It hadn’t cured him of the crush, just turned him into a monster.

Billy thought about the thrill of terror he’d felt when he’d thought about what his father would do if he saw him and Steve like this, how his father was a fucking monster, he thought about how envious he’d been of Steve and that had made him a monster too… then the Mind-Flayer had made him a literal monster.No more monsters, Billy thought, I don’t want to be afraid forever; afraid of Neil, of the Shadow, of being with a boy.

_Living in fear will not keep bad things from happening._

That was something else his shrink had said, at the time it had pissed Billy off, but now it made him think…

Billy placed his hand on the side of Steve’s neck and then cursed softly “Shit.” He parted his lips and stole a kiss from Steve. Steve’s mouth responded, and so did his arms, and the quick kiss that Billy had intended became lingering and wet. Their lips parted, their tongues met, the gentle scrape of Steve’s morning scruff caught on Billy’s. Billy withdrew from the kiss and saw Steve staring at him with wide dark eyes.

“I’ve gotta get to work.” Billy said and slid off the couch, rolling on to his side and getting on his feet, he moved like a man rolling out of a moving vehicle. Billy went into the small bathroom and shut the door. He gripped the sink wondering if Steve was mad, or freaking out, or about to tell all of Hawkins that Billy Hargrove was as queer as a three dollar bill.

Billy scrubbed his teeth quickly, and stepped out of the bathroom and grabbed a clean t-shirt out of the drawer, he glanced over at Steve who was sitting on the couch tying his shoelaces. When he was sure Steve wasn’t watching Billy quickly changed his shirt, not wanting Steve to get an eyeful of his scarred body.

“I gotta go, just shut the door on your way out, it’ll lock.” Billy grabbed his keys off the coffee table and stepped into his boots, his heart rocketing in his chest.

“Can I come by tonight?” Steve asked, standing in front of him holding out Billy’s San Diego Padre’s ball cap.

“What? You want to?” Billy asked feeling bewildered and worst of all very vulnerable.

“Yeah, I do.” Steve crowded into Billy’s space, he placed his hands on Billy’s jaw, and kissed him gently. “See you around nine.”

Billy blinked, his cheeks were blazing, “Cool.”

“Yeah,” Steve nodded, his eyes sparkling, “Totally cool.”

********

Billy walked to work, taking the shortcut that Steve had shown him. He had actually slept for once. Steve had kissed him, deliberately kissed him. Billy walked a little taller, held his back a little straighter. Steve had looked at Billy like he was someone special, Billy would never say that aloud, but that’s what he’d done. Monsters never got their hearts’ desire in fairy tales, but this was real life, and life was not a fairy tale… Billy smiled wolfishly.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, comments and questions are always welcome!


End file.
